Friday, March 28, 2014

A longtime California politician who was praised for his efforts to make government more transparent and authored gun control legislation was arrested Wednesday, accused of conspiracy to deal firearms and wire fraud.

State Sen. Leland Yee, a prominent figure in California's Democratic legislative majority, was arrested in a federal corruption investigation Wednesday along with an ostentatious gangster known as "Shrimp Boy" — who insisted that he had gone straight — and two dozen of their alleged associates.

An affidavit filed in federal court in San Francisco by FBI Special Agent Emmanuel V. Pascua said there was probable cause to believe that Yee had conducted wire fraud and had engaged in a conspiracy to deal firearms without a license and illegally import firearms.

It sounds like Le Yee’s running his own “motorcycle club” in San Francisco. As I trust most of MOTUS’ readers are not regular viewers of Sons of Anarchy, allow me to brief you on the FX TV series concept:

Sons of Anarchyis an adrenalized drama with darkly comedic undertones that explores a notorious outlaw motorcycle club's (MC) desire to protect its livelihood while ensuring that their simple, sheltered town of Charming, California remains exactly that, charming. The Sons of Anarchy Motorcycle Club, Redwood Original (SAMCRO) must confront threats from drug dealers, corporate developers, and overzealous law officers. Behind the MC's familial lifestyle and legally thriving automotive shop is a ruthless and illegal arms business driven by the seduction of money, power, and blood.

While some see “darkly comedic undertones” in the Yee FBI sting, and you could certainly say that the plot was driven by Senator Lee’s “desire to protect his livelihood,” the more relevant motifs are “illegal arms business,”“corporate developers” and “overzealous law officers.” We don’t get into “illegal drugs” until the next season of Sons of AnarchYee.

Chow had allegedly cleaned up his act and was following the straight and narrow, even serving as the “dragon head” of Ghee Kung Tong, a Freemason organization according to his Face Book page.

Shrimp Boy, as a “former” Chinatown organizied crime member was involved in prostitution rings, drugs and extortion.

Chow is accused of money laundering, conspiracy to receive and transport stolen property and conspiracy to traffic contraband cigarettes.

He and Yee [hee hee!] were arrested earlier in the day during a series of raids by the FBI in Sacramento and the San Francisco Bay Area.The indictment also states that Shrimp Boy “has a position of "supreme authority" in the Triad, an international organized crime group.”

Hmmm…it sounds just like SAMCRO, except Chinese instead of Irish! How clever. Still, I think we can add copyright infringement to the charges.

For his efforts to uphold the California Public Records Act, Yee was honored last week by the Northern California chapter of the Society of Professional Journalists, which awarded him its public official citation for his efforts last year to maintain the requirements of the California Public Records Act.

They might have “pulled the trigger” a bit too soon on that award. Additionally, Yee had also proposed several gun control bills, including a ban on “bullet buttons” that allow swift reloads of “military-style assault weapons.” Like the “military-style assault weapons” he was planning to smuggle into the state:

And don’t think for a minute that the delicious irony was lost on the humorless progressives in the state:

I would like to go on record as stating that it won’t be long before it is revealed that Yee was actually working for the evil Koch brothers.

Seriously, it might be time for the Democrats to start vetting their advocates a little better. How many of these embarrassing incidents of people promoting causes they clearly don’t personally believe in can they endure?

From gun control:

to healthy eating:

to income equality:

I mean, at a certain point it becomes painfully obvious, doesn’t it? Butt for

they have no standards at all?

Still, it’s a shame that Leland Yee had to withdraw from his run for Secretary of State - California's top elections official (!) just because he was planning to illegally “import” some military rifles and shoulder mounted rocket launchers from Russia and an Islamic terrorist organization in the Philippines. Did I mention that one of his “partners” was the former San Francisco School Board President? Anyway, until this little snafu, it appeared that Yee was a shoo-in.

Really folks, this is just a trumped up Fox news story, trying to make a big deal out of a little prostitution, a little extortion, a few guns, probably some drugs, yada, yada yada. I don’t know about you, butt I smell a great “redemption” story and a book deal in Leland Yee’s future. There’s clearly nothing to see here, so just move along and wait for the movie.

Just another dog-catcher-on-the-take-aspiring-to-be-in-charge-of-counting-the-votes-in-the-nation’s-most-populous-state story.

Leland Yee in ChunsGuns Sons of AnarchYee

What in the Sam Cro were you thinking?

MOTUS’ calls to Lee Headquarters in Charming, CA have not been returned.